Board Approves More Sandy-Related Sidewalk Repairs

Trustees have approved an additional $105,197.90 worth of sidewalk repair work in the wake of superstorm Sandy.

The board unanimously awarded the contract to Valente Contracting Corp. of Mineola May 2, at rates approved by the village board back in June 2012, in order to repair 251 sidewalks damaged by the storm. Rates are as follows: 4” sidewalk $7 per square foot; 6” sidewalk $9 per square foot; drop curb $25 per linear foot.
"We bill these rates and add an administration fee of $150 for the first $1,000, plus $15 for each additional $1,000 of cost, or part thereof," according to village auditor Jim Olivo.

In addition to the $$180,567.90 already approved in March, this brings the total cost of Sandy-related sidewalk repairs to $285,765.80, which village officials say is eligible for Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reimbursement. According to Public Works director Robert Mangan, this is for work billed to March 31, 2013. There should be one additional bill for the work done in April 2013.

The agency is expected to pay 75 percent of Garden City's storm expenses while the village and state are each still on the hook for 12.5 percent of total expenditures.

Resident Steven Ilardi believes the 12.5 percent should be billed to the affected homeowners. "So in effect the 12.5 percent is being picked up by the residents that rightfully should be picked up by the homeowners affected by the downed sidewalks?" he asked trustees at the May 2 meeting.

Ilardi said a tree in front of his home had to be taken down subsequent to the storm after the village "took up so many roots" from his sidewalk last summer. Though his damage is unrelated to Sandy, Ilardi said because half the tree had "no roots on one side" it became unstable.

"It was teetering during the storm. Now I have no tree and a new sidewalk that I'm billed for," he said. "My objection is I had damage done to my sidewalk by a village tree not by the storm just from the tree causing root damage to the sidewalk and it's my responsibility to pay yet similar damage caused by village trees just because it was by the storm is being paid by FEMA and the rest of the residents of the village."

Ilardi filed a lawsuit against the village and is currently awaiting a ruling. His small claims case went to court April 22 after it was postponed from February.

As Ilardi addressed the board Thursday village counsel Gary Fishberg cut the discussion short, advising Mayor John Watras that he "has a lawsuit against the village based on these circumstances. This is something that is in litigation and may not be appropriate to respond to."

"I understand the village is trying to do the right thing by the residents but they're doing the wrong thing by the rest of the residents who were not affected [by the storm]," he told Patch. "When they're penny pinching and charging extra for my kids to play baseball on the field it's not right."

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